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I am normally cheerful as the days grow longer and the daffodils appear on Fortune Green, but this year does not hold out quite the same hope of better things. The world, London, Camden and West Hampstead all seem to be in a mess.
In my own immediate neighbourhood, the removal of the recycling bins on Fortune Green Road have aroused some comment - mostly favourable because they had become a notorious fly-tipping spot, but it gives people who live over shops locally a problem with recycling. It's not the only problem I get reported to me all the time - missed or incomplete refuse collections, inconsiderate builders leaving their rubbish on the pavement, people dumping bits of unwanted furniture and even people dumping their Christmas trees weeks too late. (And thanks to Camden, as ever, for supplying the tree recycling dump on the Green).
Moving a little further off, there are still huge problems with the lights at the top of Fortune Green Road and Finchley Road where the light phasing causes huge congestion in Fortune Green Road at busy times (and total chaos last week when there was a serious pedestrian accident in the area). I am asking TfL to have yet another look at this junction as part of the proposals for a cycle "Superhighway" down Finchley Road. Fortune Green Road congestion is also continually caused by the Shisha bar's thoughtless customers - a nuisance which will, at least, go on till May, when the temporary stay of execution granted to them by the Government Planning Inspector runs out.
Moving a little further off, there are still huge problems with the lights at the top of Fortune Green Road and Finchley Road where the light phasing causes huge congestion in Fortune Green Road at busy times (and total chaos last week when there was a serious pedestrian accident in the area). I have asked TfL to have yet another look at this junction as part of the proposals for a cycle "Superhighway" down Finchley Road. Fortune Green Road congestion is also continually caused by the Shisha bar's thoughtless customers - a nuisance which will, at least, go on till May, when the temporary stay of execution granted to them by the Government Planning Inspector runs out.
On down the hill, there is the prospect of losing our public toilets - again! The Labour Council want to save £40k a year by closing them. We know West Hampstead values its loos - when Labour closed them some 10 years ago, the local Liberal Democrats collected signatures on a large petition against closure and one of the first acts the incoming Lib Dem led Council carried out was the reinstatement of our valued loos. Public toilets were introduced by the health conscious and civic-minded Victorians and to many of us, still mark a civilised society. I am asking the Labour Council to think again for the sake of the vulnerable, the elderly and those with young children.
Meanwhile in West Hampstead, we have lots of trouble brewing over Camden's plans for the old Council offices at 156 West End Lane - these plans have roused a vigorous local opposition couple and with the ongoing dissatisfaction over the Liddell Road proposals, the nearly completed tower blocks of the "Ballymore site" and developments in Iverson and Maygrove Roads make us feel as if the West Hampstead we know and love is disappearing. There will be many new residents (mostly in expensive and private flats) and there will not be the facilities for them - no new doctors surgeries, streets and trains already overcrowded, and strain on public utilities. This is just too much, and all at once.
For the time being, our library, which appeared to be under immediate threat, seems safe but much needs doing to secure it a sustainable future; our fire station is only safe until the Mayor makes more cuts, there are fewer police on our streets, there is the threat of reduced waste collections, our children’s and youth services are in difficulties and our roads are ever more dangerous with our air scarcely safe to breathe! We need a different sort of change - political change - some of which may come about at this year's Mayor and Assembly Elections. (And it will come as no surprise that my vote will go to the most experienced candidate – Lib Dem Caroline Pidgeon and, locally, to our young and enthusiastic candidate, Zack Polanski standing for the Liberal Democrats for Camden and Barnet
But at least for today, the sun is shining and just maybe, one feels “things can only get better”! Well one can always hope.
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